Start 2014 with a swim

It's the first day of 2014.  What to do first?  Make resolutions? Nurse a hangover?  Clean up from last night's party?  Nah.  How about a dip in a lake or river near you?!

Around the nation today, thousands of folks will walk outside, whether the skies are shining or gray, strip down to their skivvies, and jump into a body of water.  Personally I'd rather do this in Hawaii than Chicago, but some folks have got to get their "polar bear" on.

On the west coast, the San Francisco based "Golden Gate Triathlon Club" will be holding their yearly tradition of jumping into Aquatic Park to start the new year right. The 1-25 minute swim will be followed immediately by drinks at a local pub!  1 to 25 minutes?!  Really?  Who the hell does 25 minutes?!  I'll just cut out the middle man and head straight to the warm pub.

On the east coast, hundreds of brave or foolhardy swimmers plan to mark the first frigid day of 2014 with a refreshing dip in Boston Harbor.

It's one of Boston’s oldest traditions, having taken place for over 100 years, and this year it's estimated that as many as 600 swimmers will plunge into the harbor for the annual ‘‘L Street Brownies New Year’s Day Swim’’ in the city’s South Boston neighborhood.

Here's footage from a swim in British Columbia in 2010.  Brrrrrrr!

From New York to Seattle, small towns to mega cities, there's lots of polar bear swims happening today.  Are you ready to take the plunge?  Didn't think so. But if there's ever one in Hawaii, I'm there.